A Knesset committee has made it possible for a civil marriage law to be implemented in Israel. The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee on Wednesday approved a registration fee of about US$ 165 for couples to obtain a civil marriage. The law, passed in March and set to be implemented next week, will allow Israelis without a religious denomination to be recognized as married.
Thousands of non-Jewish Israelis who previously had to travel abroad to marry will now be able do so legally in Israel. Parliamentarian David Rotem of the Israel Beiteinu party, the initiator of the legislation, said he would now try to broaden the law to allow all Israelis, including Jews, to be contract civil marriage. About 60,000 people in Israel are considered to be of no denomination, according to the news service ‘Ynet’.
